Love's Melody
by fataldestiny
Summary: [CHAPTER FIVE UP!] Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!
1. Undestined Love

**Prologue: Undestined Love**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Final Fantasy VII, but if I did, I would pair up Vincent and Tifa. :D

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_This is the day I'm going to tell you, and I'm going to tell you everything._

I heard those words come out of my mouth so softly that night.

I stood on the wooden porch, and leaned on the wall on my bar- Seventh Heaven. Holding a margarita in my hand, I gently swish it around. I look out into the dark velvet sky and then onto the trodden path that lay in front of all the houses. It was raining and I could hear the rain drops pat against all the roofs, especially the roof above me. But the night was beautiful; the moonlight and the rain glistened everything up.

Everyone else was inside the bar celebrating- celebrating for having fought another battle and again, being victorious. I could hear the glass cups, filled with the vodka I made, tinkle as they did their cheers.

"Oh yeah! We showed that big bird who's boss!" I heard Yuffie say out loud with glee.

_I wonder how they could put up with all this fighting _I thought. _I mean, is this the only way to solve problems?_

I looked back at the night again. It was peaceful all around me; my surroundings were filled with solace and everything seemed calm.

_I wish my life were like this. No, I wish the whole world were like this- not a speck of crime and wrongdoing in sight. But I know it'll never be like that. Ever._

My mind was focused on the tranquility all around me. It was mesmerizing. I hardly got to experience anything like this, especially in a highly populated and polluted place like where my bar is. I notice that I'm starting to feel drowsy. But I don't want to. I can't. I have to tell _him. _I _have _to tell him how I fell and-

" Yo' Teef!" The loud call startles me; I slightly spill a bit of the margarita on the wood. There, right in front of me stood a tall, dark skinned man with a right gun-arm. It was Barret.

" Yo' Teefa, _he _wants to speak to you on the phone." Barret handed me the silver cordless phone and he went back inside as I held the phone to my ear.

" Hello?" I noticed how my voice shivered as I spoke into the phone.

" Hello Tifa?" My expression changed as I heard his deep, gentle voice on the other line. I'm glad to hear from him again. He's been away since after the battle, and I guess there's not one moment I never thought on him.

" Yes, this is Tifa." I reply humorously. He's always made me cheerful, even on the dreariest of days.

" Don't you remember me?" He asked in a questioning voice. " It's me, Cloud."

" I know. I didn't forget- especially you." I blushed when I noticed I had said that. My mind was full of things I wanted to tell him; maybe I really needed to tell him how I feel.

There was a short pause after that. " Well, I just picked up Aerith at her house and we're headed to the bar right mow, so don't start the party without us!" His voice was upbeat- seeing Aerith again really did make him happy.

I looked at the floor and felt a hint of jealousy rush within me. Aerith is a good friend, and a strong one too- I mean she did survive the stab from Sephiroth- but with her around, Cloud's friendship and mine is starting to fall apart.

"Okay, sure. We'll meet you here." The conversation was finally done. I put down the phone on the window ledge and stood there, leaning on the wall again. I took a sip of my margarita and put it on the ledge too. I decided to wait for Cloud and Aerith on the porch.

I suddenly heard the creaking of the door as it opened. There I saw Yuffie step out of the bar with a glass of water in her hand. She walked towards me, her back to the railings. Yuffie leaned on the railings and smiled at me.

" The battles are finally over." Yuffie said with a sigh of relief and then she looked at me with concern. " So, I heard Cloud's coming here and he's bringing Aerith too."

" Yeah, I'm afraid he is." That was all I could say. I hung my head down and I could sense my eyes starting to fill up with tears.

"I'm sorry Tifa." I look up at Yuffie, a tear falling down my cheek. I quickly wipe it away with a brush of my hand, hoping Yuffie didn't see. " It's just, I can't take take all this pain and sadness coming form you. I know you love Cloud, and I understand, but I wish you'd at least talk to someone when you have a problem about it."

" I wish I _can _talk to someone about it, but I wouldn't know what to say." I brushed away the hair that fell in front of my face. " And anyways, I'm better at keeping stuff to myself."

Yuffie frowned and nodded. " I know how you feel." I stared at her, as if telling her to continue.

" Back then in Wutai, there was this boy I always used to hang out with. We were the mischievous kids of the village." I glanced at her, and I found out she was in a dazed look as she told me this.

" His name was Tai. Tai Kamiya. He was the nicest, good-looking boy in the village; he was always there for me and I was always there for him- no matter what. I liked him, but many other girls liked him too."

" A year later our friendship began to fall apart. We talked less and saw each other less too. Then one day, I saw him with another girl and a group of people I wasn't familiar with. I found out the girl was his girlfriend. I was sad, and mad too because he was with the girl I envied so much."

" Did you ever tell him how you felt?" I asked as I took a sip of my margarita.

" Yeah. When I told him, he just stood there speechless. The next day, he left Wutai."

" Do you know what happened to him?"

" Yepp. Fiends attacked him and he was badly injured; he died a week later."

Yuffie and I suddenly heard the rumbling sound of a motorcycle. We looked onto the path and there we saw a black motorcycle with a blonde boy and a brunette haired girl getting off. Yuffie was going inside to tell the other that they were here, and as she did, she stopped and said "good luck" to me.

I gazed back at Cloud and Aerith. I noticed how Cloud gently held Aerith's hand, and how he caught her when she was about to fall from the motorcycle. I began to feel jealous again. So I took my eyes off of them.

" Oh Cloud, I am never going to ride your motorcycle again!" I heard Aerith say it to Cloud with sarcasm. As they were walking up the wooden stairs of my bar, both of them were laughing and giggling.

I looked up, noticing the look they had on each other- the both of them seemed like lovers. Then Cloud looked at me with his sky blue eyes. "Hey Tifa." Cloud said as he walked over to me and hugged me. My cheeks started to burn, so I gently pushed myself back from him.

" They're all waiting inside." I informed Cloud, and then I looked happily at Aerith, trying to hide the pain and misery. " It's good to have you back Aerith!"

Aerith smiled back and nodded. It's good to see you Tifa." She turned and looked out at the path.

" Y' know, maybe we should go inside. It seems like the rain's going to fall down harder." I agreed and we both went into the bar.

As we went in, I noticed everyone was crowded around Cloud and talking to him. Aerith approached the crowd calmly and the others began speaking to her too. I decided not to join the group of people conversing. So I moved back and sat on one of the many empty wooden chairs in the bar.

I glanced around and noticed Vincent, looking down at the floor, as if he was thinking. His arms were crossed and his back was on the wall, making his cape hang down loose behind him.

My thoughts of Cloud were suddenly put aside. For once, Vincent came into mind. I had always wanted to know why he was like that- always dark and mysterious. I mean, he talked to me at times, but never about his past.

I recognized I was looking at him for a period of time, and when he finally looked at me with his blood red eyes, I quickly looked away. Soon, I knew Vincent was coming over to my table because I heard his footsteps approaching me. When he reached the table, he sat on the chair across from mine. I began to fidget with my hands.

" Why aren't you over there with the others?" Vincent asked with his deep, unlively voice of his.

I looked up at him seeing the concern he showed. " Nah. Too tired. I might as well go take a short nap." Then I just left him there in peace.

I quietly headed up the stairs to my bedroom and I shut the door when I got inside. I had lied to Vincent. I _was_ tired, but I didn't take a nap; I came to my bedroom to think. I sat on the soft ocean blue bed and looked at the window, the rain pouring down hard.

_I promised to myself that I would tell him _I thought, mentally slapping my forehead. _But how am I supposed to tell him? I can't just blurt it out, so how am I to do this?_

I got so confused and frustrated I got tangled up in my thoughts that I took the brown stuffed teddy bear from the bed and harshly threw it at the door, making a loud thump. Out of nowhere, there was a mild knock on the door." Tifa- you in there?" I recognized the deep, gentle voice beyond the door. It was Cloud.

" Yeah. I'm in here."

" Okay. Well, can I come in?" I knew there was an uncertainty in his voice.

I let out a sigh. " Yeah, sure. Okay." Maybe this was the perfect time to tell him.

Cloud slightly turned the knob and opened the door. He quietly went inside and sat to my left, without closing the door behind him.

He looked at me, then to my left arm where he saw a bruise the size of a fist. Cloud put his hand on the bruise and I winced because of the pain it gave me. " Where'd you get the bruise?" He asked me with solicitude.

I stared at him, grateful that he cared. I put my right hand on the bruise to hide it. " I got it when I fought Loz in the church. He was going to punch me right in the face, so I evaded him, but instead he punched my arm." I then rubbed my arm to ease the pain and laughed. " The more battles we have, the more I get hurt."

Cloud suddenly put his arm on my shoulder. " That's why you gotta be safer Tifa." He said sardonically, ending it with a friendly smile.

I blushed and looked away. Then I reminded myself of the promise.

" Cloud..." I said in an uneasy voice. I was nervous, to tell you the truth. " Can I ask you something?"

He then took his arm off my shoulder and moved back, awaiting to hear what I was going to say.

" Sure. Go ahead."

I thought for a minute. " You know what, never mind."

" Aww come on Tifa!" Cloud pleaded, as if his life was on the line. " Just ask me. I'm supposed to be your best friend!"

I stared at him and grinned. I had never seen him act this way, and it was kind of amusing as he did. " Okay then! I'll ask you." Cloud stopped and looked at me with a smile.

" Okay." I let out a sigh, a feeling of uneasiness rushing inside me. " Cloud... What do... You... Think of me?"

" Don't you already know Tifa?" Cloud asked, sounding cheerful. " I think of you as the greatest friend anyone could ever have."

I mentally kick myself for having thought he was going to say something other than that. " Are you sure I'm only a friend to you?" I asked, just to make sure.

He looked at me seriously with his eyebrows raised. " What are you trying to ask Tifa?"

I stared down at the floor and was ashamed that I asked that. But now, I had to answer him.

" I'm not trying to ask anything. It's just that..." Tears began to fill my eyes again. I wanted to tell him everything, but there was a part of me that didn't want to. _Why do I have to love him? I know he'll never be mine._ But there was something inside of me that wanted to know what he really thought of me.

The tears in my eyes began flowing out. I couldn't hold them any longer, so I put my palms onto my face to hide my sadness. I tell myself it's okay, but I know it's not.

_Why does it have to be like this _I ask myself._ To all the suffering I had to deal with, why does it come to this?_

I feel Cloud's hand touch my shoulder. " Tifa..." He says in a soothing voice. I lean forward, hugging him.

" Cloud..." I manage to say out- the tears still flowing from my eyes. " I... I..."

" Just tell me."

" I.." At first I hesitate, but knowing this may be the only time to tell him, I just say it. " I... Love... You..." The words I've been dying to tell him were finally said.

" I've always loved you- ever since we were kids. I had always wanted to tell you, but I never had the guts. I promised to myself I would tell you when all the battles were over, so if you did have feelings for me, we could live together in peace."

I finally let go of Cloud and sat up. Then I looked at him, his expression telling me he was sorry. " Tifa." Cloud said in a sincere voice." I _loved _you, I really did, but... Now I love someone else... I'm sorry. I wish it could've been different."

I look at him, tears filling his eyes too. I close my eyes, trying to hold back the pain, and then I open them again. Then I stand up and walk to the door. I stop, but didn't look back. " I'm sorry too..." I say to Cloud who's still sitting on the bed.

I left without another word coming out of my mouth. As I head down the stairs, tears I held back began to swell around my eyes. I sit on the bottom steps of the stairs and lean my head on the wall. _Stupid me _I tell myself, _stupid, stupid me. I knew something like this was going to happen._

Again I stand up and walk to the stools near the counter, noticing that no one was around. I sit down on a stool and reach for one of the glass cups, which I fill with red wine from the bottle in the counter. I drink it and suddenly, an idea came to me. _I'm going to leave this place for a little while _I thought, _just to clear things up in my mind. _I took a piece of paper and a black pen from one of the many empty tables and started writing.

_Dear Barret, _I wrote, _I'm going somewhere for a few days, so I was wondering if you can take care of the bar. If you can't it's fine. Well, bye. _When I finished the letter, I signed my name at the bottom and folded the paper. I wanted to leave the note on the counter but I didn't want Cloud to read it, so I put it in my pocket hoping one of the others would return. But no one did so I went outside on the porch.

A cold air suddenly surrounded me, and I could see my breath every time I exhaled. I crossed my arms to keep me warm, but it doesn't work, so my teeth end up chattering. I walk down the porch steps and when I finally reach the bottom, I step on a puddle of cold water, leaving my boots completely wet and me completely cold.

" Stupid rain!" I cursed aloud. " Stupid me!"

I suddenly hear a barely audible chuckle from afar. I look around for people, but my eyes only spot Vincent who was leaning on the light post near the exit. I get hold of the note in my pocket and I take it out. As I run to Vincent with the note clenched tightly in my hand, I could hear the squishing of the mud under my shoes.

I finally reach him, and I could hear myself breathing hard. I didn't have to run far to get to Vincent, but I was weak from all the crying.

" Vincent", I say after a few breaths. I tried to get myself together, but I was too tired.

Vincent slightly turned his head and looked at me with his emotionless face. " Hm?"

" I was wondering if you can give this note to Barret." I replied, finally regaining my energy.

" A note? To Barret?" Vincent asked in his monotonous voice. " For what?"

" Well, I wanted Barret to take care of the bar if he wanted 'cause I'm going someplace to clear things up... Y'know... In my mind."

" To clear things up in your mind of Cloud?" said Vincent inquiringly.

When I heard that, I gave him a hurt look. " You don't understand."

" Understand what? To be heartbroken?"

_Okay _I thought, _maybe he does understand. I mean, we both loved someone very deeply who ended up choosing someone else._

I hung my head and found something inside of me that made me want to cry all over again. _The _memories. _Our _memories. I suddenly felt something heavy on my shoulder. I look over to it and found Vincent's claw. Then I look up at him and give him somewhat of a smile.

" It's not easy," Vincent said as he let go of my shoulder," going through something like this." His voice became unusually comforting. " Don't worry Tifa, you'll find someone perfect for you... You just have to wait."

I looked at him quizzically. I've never heard him say anything like that to anyone, especially me. " Anyways, can you give this note to Barret?" I just asked. He looked at me and took the note from my hand.

" Thanks." I said turning around and I crossed my arms, shivering and my teeth chattering.

As I was leaving, I heard Vincent call out to me. " Tifa, wait."

I stopped, turned around and saw Vincent take off his red cape as he walked to me. When he finally got to where I was, he held up his cape and carefully draped it over my shoulders. " You seemed cold," he said as he looked at me with solace in his eyes.

All I could do was smile at him. He had never acted so sincere to anyone I knew. Vincent kindly walked me to the train station.

When we got there, I stopped and looked at him. I wanted to hug him so much, thanking him for making the night a bit better, but all I could say was thanks. I just couldn't see him getting a hug from anyone like me.

I tried to give him back his cape but he insisted that I keep it. " You can take it," He said," I have lots at home."

I boarded the train and sat on an empty seat near the windows. I looked back at Vincent, telling thanks once more. As the train began to move, I still looked at him, and he still looked at me. At that moment, I saw him smile at me, but it was probably my mind playing tricks.

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Well anyways, this is my first fanfic. I can't believe I actually wrote one... So what do you think? I hope you liked it 'cause I spent like a month writing it... Teehee, I'm so lazy... **Please, Please review!**


	2. The Reunion of Two Comrades

2 Years Later

**Chapter 1: The Reunion of Two Comrades**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!_

I finally updated my story! Yay! I'm really, really sorry to the people who have waited for me to update. I know it's been long so sorry. Maybe it's going to take me a long time to update again- too much schoolwork to do. But to all my fans, if I have fans, I'll try updating as soon as I can. Anyways, if you people give me 20+ reviews, I'm sure I will update soon.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Final Fantasy VII, but if I did, I would pair up Vincent and Tifa. : D

P.S. _Don't hate me._

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The rain from the darkened sky fell harshly on the streets of Midgar. Surely the weather had been like this two years ago when she left. Tifa looked out the window on the back seat of the taxi and knew that a lot has changed in Midgar in the past two years. Instead of poor people sitting beside worn out buildings and houses begging for gil and food, she saw business people walking to work or going home in fine built buildings and houses. Midgar seemed more like a city now instead of the slums.

_President Rufus must've rebuilt parts of Midgar. _Tifa thought, one of her hands reaching inside her black side bag. Her hand eventually touches a soft folded cloth. She pulls it out and there, clenched in her hand was a red cape.

_Vincent's cape. _Tifa held it with both her hands. She smiled, remembering Vincent's smile, or what looked like a smile, from two years ago. _He cheered me up. He took the pain away. _At that moment, out of the blue, she thought of Vincent as "handsome" because the small smile he shared with her kept replaying in her mind, and with that she blushed. The cape was the only remembrance of him and how he made her feel better.

The taxi suddenly stopped, forcing Tifa to jerk forward a bit. " Sorry lady," apologized the driver, " It's just that there's a major traffic here 'cause a truck tipped over, so we probably won't be moving till later on."

" It's okay," replied Tifa, " I can get off here." She gave fifty gil to the driver, gathered her belongings, and left. Tifa shut the door behind her and walked to the sidewalk.

As she walked, she held the cape with both her hands, feeling the soft worn out fabric. Tifa could feel herself getting wet, so she stood under the roof on the entrance of one of the buildings she was near to. There she looked at the cape- it too got wet, so she placed it in her bag.

When Tifa looked up, she saw someone familiar walk by. _Could it be? _She thought. _I mean, he looks just like him- just like…_

But before Tifa could say his name in her head, she decided to follow him.

xoxox xoxox xoxox

Vincent walked down the street full of business people. He didn't like places full of people. Actually, he despised it. It was one of his pet peeves. He stopped for a moment, and had a feeling that he was being followed, but he just grumbled and ignored it.

He held his black umbrella close to him. It had been such a long time since he shared an umbrella with someone. _Lucrecia…_ Vincent thought for a few seconds. _Why did you leave me? _He kept on walking. _We could've been happy together… You would've still been alive…_

When Vincent turned right at the curb, he noticed he really was being followed. " Dammit," he said to himself, " It's raining and I don't have time for this." He decided to lead the "stalker" into one of the empty alleyways to find out who it was. If the stalker was dangerous, he might have to shoot the person. If not, who knew.

And so Vincent went to an alleyway and waited.

xoxox xoxox xoxox

Tifa approached the alleyway steadily. The person she thought who seemed familiar to her was nowhere in sight.

" Where can he be?" she asked herself looking around confusingly. Then she just stopped and looked up. _Maybe it just wasn't him._

Suddenly she had a feeling that someone was behind her. Tifa looked at the corner of her eye and found out that someone _was _there. Then she felt something cold on her back. It was something made of metal. She didn't know what it was, but when it made a "click" sound, she found out.

It was a gun.

Tifa dared not to move, for if she did, there would be a possible chance of getting shot. " Who are you, and who do you work for?" asked the man with the gun.

_That voice, _thought Tifa, _it is him. _She was about to turn around, but she'd thought that answering his question might have been safer. " Don't you remember me? I know it's been two years, but two years isn't _that _long."

Suddenly, Tifa felt the gun removed from her back. _So it is him, _she thought cheerfully. Tifa turned around and found Vincent, still holding his gun Cerberus. For a few moments, they stood there in the alleyway speechless. Both of them never thought that this was the how they were going to meet again- one holding a gun towards the other.

They still stood there, looking at each other until Tifa broke the silence.

" Were you actually going to shoot me with that?" she asked, trying to sound lighthearted.

Vincent placed his gun inside his black trench coat and relaxed for a few seconds. " Sorry," he answered, looking a bit embarrassed, " You still can never be too careful in Midgar."

Tifa looked at him more and smiled. " Well… You look… Different. The last time I saw you, you wore the black and red outfit… Now you seem like one of those business men walking to work." It was true. He didn't cut his hair or anything, just that the style of clothes was different.

Vincent then looked at Tifa. Her appearance too, changed. Her hair grew a bit longer, and she grew a bit taller. Vincent noticed Tifa didn't look much of a fighter anymore, especially without her black gloves. It was probably because she wore a white tank top, a black skirt that reached to her knees and one inch heeled sandals.

" You've changed too," Vincent managed to say out loud, sounding unsure, " and…"

" Wet?" Tifa asked questioningly.

Vincent smirked and then opened his umbrella. " So how _did_ you get soaked?" He asked while he motioned Tifa to go under the open umbrella he held.

Tifa got under the umbrella with Vincent, who was by her side. " Well," she replied as they started to walk out of the alleyway, " I _was _trying to get to you before the rain fell down any harder, but it took longer than what I had expected."

They crossed the street, which was filled with even more people and went into a café. When they went inside, they noticed that the café didn't have many costumers- there were only four people, and that was including the two behind the counter. Vincent and Tifa went towards the counter and ordered their drinks.

_Dark coffee, _thought Tifa as she looked at Vincent's beverage, _that's so typical of him._

Vincent and Tifa went to one of the empty tables where there were two chairs. They sat down at opposite ends and faced each other. Tifa carefully drank her cappuccino, trying not to spill any, and Vincent sipped at his coffee.

" So, how's everything been going?" asked Tifa, trying to start a conversation with a man who talked rarely.

" Everything's fine," answered Vincent, who was pleasantly enjoying the silence.

Tifa looked at Vincent seriously, telling him that she needed to hear more than just "everything's fine". After moments of looking at him, Vincent eventually saw the look she had on her face. " A few days after you left, everyone separated. Yuffie went back to Wutai, Barret and Cid went to Mt. Corel to fix things up, Red XIII went beck to Cosmo Canyon, and Cloud and Aerith stayed here in Midgar." Vincent finally took his last sip of his coffee.

Tifa looked at him with concern. She noticed that Vincent hadn't talked about what had happened to him, so she decided to ask.

" How about you? What did you do in the past two years?"

Vincent put his cup aside and glanced back at the counter, wondering if he should get another cup of coffee. " I stayed here in Midgar and got a job. I had to go many placed for it."

" What _is_ your job?" Tifa asked while she drank her cappuccino.

" Getting documents, files, and sometimes valuable items."

Tifa wondered if his job was legal, but she didn't want to ask. She was afraid that she might invade his privacy, and anyways, she was tired of asking all the questions.

" So what about you?" Vincent asked out of the blue.

" What about me?" Tifa questioned in surprise.

" What did you do in the past two years?" Vincent mentally slapped himself in the face. _How come whenever someone asks me a question, _he thought_I understand. But whenever I ask someone a question, it takes them a while to figure it out?_

" Oh. Well, I just traveled to towns and villages I've been to, meeting the people we've helped. I've been trying to find a job, but the towns and villages I went to didn't have openings to the jobs I wanted, so I went back here." Tifa finally finished her cappuccino so she put the cup aside.

" Why don't you work back at the bar?"

"It collides with the past too much."

Vincent looked at Tifa caringly. She was lost in her thoughts, he knew. Whenever she was quiet, she was probably thinking. _She looks good when she's in her own little world, _Vincent thought.

" So, have you talked to Cloud lately?" he asked, wondering if he should've even asked the question.

Tifa looked at him with a hurt expression. " No," she answered as she hung her head down," not since we last saw each other. And anyways, I wouldn't know what to say to him if we did ever meet again." Tifa moved her hair from her face as she still hung her head, and she wrote words on the glass table with her fingertip.

Vincent stared at Tifa admiringly. He perceived the emptiness inside her heart. He could tell form Tifa's movements that she still had feelings for Cloud. Vincent wanted to make her feel better, but something inside of him- probably his conscience- prevented him from saying what he wanted to say because he might make matters worse instead of better.

Tifa gazed up at the ceiling and she let out a deep sigh. _Why am I like this? _She asked herself._ Why do I keep on thinking that I still have a chance with Cloud? He's already with Aerith so why do I keep this burden?_

Tifa closed her eyes and placed her hand on her head. _It's because… I've loved him like no other…_

Vincent still looked at Tifa and he took into consideration of how beautiful she looked. _God, if I could take back that one chance with Lucrecia, I would…_

Tifa snapped back into reality. She stood up, got her things and threw out the cup in the waste can. " Well Vincent, it was nice meeting you again. Now I have to go find somewhere to stay, so I guess I'll be seeing you some other time then."

She was about to turn around and leave, but Vincent held her wrist and exclaimed, " Wait, Tifa."

Tifa turned around and looked at Vincent in surprise, and he let go. This was in fact the second time he stopped her from doing something. " What is it Vincent?" asked Tifa kind of reluctantly, as she rubbed her wrist because Vincent's claw had held it so tight.

" Where are you going to stay?" asked Vincent shyly.

" Oh, just anywhere I guess."

" But you don't have enough money. Renting a room in a motel these days cost a lot."

Again, Vincent looked at her with concern and she noticed it. Tifa gave him a wry smile and said, " Well, I do have thirty gil and-"

" Why don't you stay with me in my hotel room? I know it's small, but I can sleep on the floor." Vincent said so calmly.

_Awkward, very awkward_, thought Tifa. _And when did Vincent want to share a room with anyone, especially me?_

" Tifa, you won't have enough money to rent a room anywhere in Midgar. It's either this or sleeping in the streets."

Tifa sighed in defeat and said, " Okay, okay. But just please do one thing for me?"

" Sure, anything."

" Please stop acting strange. I know this isn't how you really are, so please, _please_, stop." Then Tifa walked to the door.

_Me, strange?_ Vincent asked himself. _Am I really acting strange, or does this thing only happen occasionally?_

Tifa reached the door and said out loud, " Well, are we going or what?" Vincent looked at her and started walking casually. They walked out on the streets and to the hotel.

* * *

**Well, there you have it- the first chapter. I'm really sorry for keeping you people waiting, really. Well right now I'm working on the second chapter, so don't abandon me. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but right now, what I really need is 20+ reviews. I mean that's all I can ask for. If I do happen to get 20+ reviews, I will update soon.**

**So, to all my readers, give me reviews, and I will continue this fic… Or else I'll get lazy again and not write for a month.**


	3. Better Off Not Knowing

**Chapter 2: Better Off Not Knowing**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!!_

Yay! I updated again! Finally. Well, lets see… Last time I didn't get my +20 reviews so this time, I'm hoping that I do get it. And if you give me _+20 reviews_ _(again)_, then I will update really soon. Right now I'm currently working on my third chapter… So don't panic. He he. Anyways, please _read and review_!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Final Fantasy VII, but if I did, I would pair up Vincent and Tifa. : D

P.S. If you want me to add something in the later chapters, send me a message, or a review, and I will try my best to put it in one of my chapters. _But that's only if you give me 20 reviews, I mean you do only need to give me like what-5 more reviews to make it 20._

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As they narrowed a huge building, Tifa looked up and saw a sign above the building's entrance that said "Hotel Midgar". _This must be the place Vincent's staying at_, thought Tifa, all impressed. _If he's staying in a place like this, his job must really pay well._

Both of them entered the hotel, and inside Tifa looked around in astonishment. Not only was the exterior of the hotel beautiful, but inside it was even better. The ceiling had intricate carvings and designs, the walls were painted with what looked like sponges that produced a "cloud effect", and the crystals of the chandeliers were made of tiny fragments of broken materia. This truly looked like a five-star hotel.

" Vincent," Tifa whispered as she gripped onto his arm. " This place is beautiful."

Vincent looked down at Tifa, and she reminded him of Lucrecia on their first date. " Yes, it is." He answered.

They walked over to the registration desk to pick up the key to the hotel room. Tifa let go of Vincent and looked around even more.

" Gosh, I never knew a place like this could be made," she whispered.

The man behind the desk looked at Vincent. " Well good morning Mr. Johnson," greeted the man.

Vincent just looked at him plainly and said in a monotonous voice, " Good morning to you too."

Tifa turned around and stared at Vincent in disbelief. _Wait, Mr. Johnson?_ She thought in surprise. _That's not his name! But why did Vincent reply?_

" I'm here for the hotel keys," said Vincent.

The man behind the desk took out a key to a hotel room and gave it to Vincent. "Well, have a good day Mr. Johnson. I hope you have fun with your lady friend," cried the man as Vincent and Tifa entered the elevator. There was the sound of mischief in the man's voice, Tifa and Vincent knew, but Vincent just ignored it… While Tifa blushed.

Once they were inside, everything became quiet. Tifa was standing in the corner while Vincent leaned on the wall.

" So, what's with the name, _Mr. Johnson_?" asked Tifa hysterically, trying so hard not to laugh.

Vincent gave Tifa somewhat of a smirk and replied in his "as-always" monotonous voice, " It's just a name Tifa."

" Right. And what-when you travel, you use fake names?" Tifa said sarcastically.

Vincent stared at her seriously. "Yes, actually I do."

Tifa looked at Vincent in surprise. _Is he just joking or is he actually serious?_

" I'm serious." He added. It was as if he read Tifa's thoughts at that moment.

The elevator finally stopped. They were on the tenth floor. Vincent and Tifa got out and they stopped at the hallway. Again, Tifa looked around in awe as is she'd never seen, or been in a fancy place.

" So, where's your room?" Tifa asked Vincent, but Vincent was already walking down the hall towards a door at the end of it. _Wow. He sure can move quickly_, she thought as she jogged to the end of the hall. By the time she got there, Vincent had already gotten the door open.

Both of them went inside and Vincent shut the door behind him. While Vincent hung his trench coat on the coat rack, Tifa quickly went to each room and glanced around. " Vincent," she commented aloud while walking back to the living room where Vincent was. " What are you saying? This place is huge!"

When Tifa got to the living room, she placed her black side bag on the leather sofa and saw Vincent out on the balcony. She decided to join him, so she quietly stepped out of the living room and onto the balcony, and she stood beside him. Tifa noticed that Vincent wore something different under his black trench coat. She thought he still wore his black and red leather outfit, but instead he wore a black polo (he didn't tuck in), and black dress pants.

To Tifa, Vincent seemed kind of _attractive _wearing those types of clothes.

" So," Tifa began, trying to start a conversation, " Why _do you _use fake names?"

Vincent just stared out onto the sky and replied, " You're better off not knowing Tifa."

Tifa yawned, rubbed her eyes and Vincent took a quick glance at her. " Come on," she said in a tired voice, " Just tell me. I won't tell anyone."

Vincent thought she sounded like a child wanting to know a secret. He noticed the sky was getting darker so he looked at his watch. _6:30. Still an hour and thirty minutes left, _Vincent thought. _A lot of time to reread the notes. _Then he looked at Tifa, who looked so tired, and surrendered. " Ok, I'll tell you," he said, " but later. Right now you need to take a nap."

" Oh. Ok." Tifa replied as she yawned again. She went to the bedroom and she got under the soft cotton blanket and slept.

While Tifa slept, Vincent sat on the sofa reading some papers and typed on the laptop he opened up and placed on the center table.

**xoxox xoxox xoxox**

Tifa woke with a sudden pain in her head. She put the palm of her hand on her head to ease the pain, and she sat up from the bed. When the pain went away, she stood up and slowly went to the living room where she found Vincent… Asleep.

She just went up to him and gazed at him. _Wow, _Tifa thought, still looking at Vincent's finally relaxed face, _I've never seen Vincent asleep before. He looks so content and alleviated… Is it normal for him to be like this?_

Then Tifa looked around and found a grand piano at the corner of the living room. " How come I've never noticed that there before?" she asked herself quietly as she walked to it.

When she got there, she carefully slid the tip of her right index finger onto the piano keys which gave out a beautiful sound. Then Tifa sat down on the stool given and motioned her hands in a playing position. _Gosh, it's been such a long time since I played the piano, _she thought. _I wonder if I still remember how to play…_

And Tifa began to play the song she played at her father's funeral. It was almost the only song she remembered. It was a sweet and serene melody she played. She had been playing for a few minutes, and she'd been planning to play longer but she stopped when Vincent woke up.

" What are you doing?" asked Vincent steadily while rubbing his eyes.

" I'm playing-" Tifa managed to say out until Vincent interrupted her.

" And what time is it?" he asked, and then quickly looked at his watch. It was 7:50. Vincent got up and wore his black trench coat. He went to the door, opened it and then turned back to Tifa. " Tifa, stay here, and don't follow me. I don't want you getting hurt." He said, and then left Tifa all alone in the hotel room.

Tifa stood in the living room all by herself. _Getting hurt?_ She thought. _In what? _She decided to follow Vincent, afraid that _he_ might get hurt instead of her. First she went into Vincent's closet, without asking him, to find something warm to wear; she chose to wear one of his many black polos. Then she went to the living room and took out her black leather gloves out of her side bag that was on the sofa. And finally, she put them on and left the hotel.

There she was, outside the door of Vincent's hotel room. She started walking down the hall to the elevator. _Oh Vincent, _Tifa thought worriedly, _what are you going to get yourself into? Is there a possible chance that you're going to get hurt in whatever you're going to do?_

She waited for the elevator door to open, and when it did, she went inside.

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**Ok, there you go-chapter two. I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, please review me. I _need _reviews. Please! **(Wow… I sound desperate.) **Anyways, this chapter was supposed to be really long, but I decided to break what was supposed to be this chapter into two parts. So now I'm working on chapter 3. I'm sorry I couldn't update soon. So much homework! Well, please _READ & REVIEW!_** P

Dedicated to all the VinTifa fans out there, somewhere.


	4. In the Dark

**Chapter 3: In the Dark**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!!_

Okay, I updated…In a very long while. I think it was like a 5-month lapse or something. Like, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry to my readers. I've been so busy with homework and such so I didn't have any time whatsoever. Anyways, let's get to the story now.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy, or any of it's characters. Sorry.

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Tifa patiently waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. _Why am I doing this?_ She asked herself._ Why am I doing this, when I know that Vincent is capable of taking care of himself?_ She could find no reason why she herself would do this. _Is it because I'm worried about him? Is it because I have this notion where something unexpected is about to happen? Or is it because I've been with him a bit too much for the past 24 hours and I'm starting to fall for him?_

She covered her face with her palms, trying her best not to blush. She then took her hands away and said, "My goodness, what have I been thinking lately? Of course I'm worried about him, but am I really starting to fall for him?" She didn't answer the question, for if she knew, she'd feel awkward whenever she would be with him.

When the elevator got to the lobby, Tifa got off the elevator and spotted Vincent standing in the lobby. She was about to go up to him, to ask him what was going on, but he was talking to another man also in a black trench coat. Tifa noticed that she couldn't stay in the elevator too long, for it would always close, so she got out and hid behind a huge, potted fern.

" So, you're going to get the file now," Tifa overheard what the man said while trying to peer through a bunch of leaves.

Vincent slightly turned his head and nodded. " And no one followed you right?" asked the man, "because when you got to the hotel, you were with a woman."

Vincent glared at the man and replied, " Don't worry, it's all been taken care of."

"Okay, good. I was just reassuring that she wasn't one of 'em prostitutes who are really spies."

At that time Tifa was shocked. _Who dares call me a prostitute?_

Vincent was about to leave when the man stopped him. " Don't forget to wear your earphones, so the boss can speak to you while you're on your way there," the man said to Vincent, who was already taking out an earphone from his coat pocket.

" You make it sound so ridiculous." Vincent added as he exited the hotel. The man also left too, and that's when Tifa got out of her hiding.

_Get a file?_ Tifa asked herself in confusion._ I bet this includes stealing. But it can't-Vincent would never have a profession where he'd steal… Would he?_

Tifa didn't stop to think about it, she just went outside the hotel and stealthily followed Vincent.

**xoxox xoxox xoxox **

_I'm so sorry Tifa, for leaving you._ Vincent thought as he quickly walked through an alleyway. _I hope you don't wake up and go looking for me. I wouldn't want you to get hurt, of all the people._

Vincent was about to turn back to check on Tifa, but he just kept on walking. He really wanted to go and check on her, and he felt a sense of guilt for leaving her, but something in him wouldn't allow it-like as if he were only made for destroying and despising instead of being able to care for someone. But then again, that was his nature.

Then out of nowhere, Vincent just stopped and looked around in perplexity. " Should I go back, or should I continue on with my work?" he though aloud. But he kept on walking, ignoring the thought.

**xoxox xoxox xoxox**

Tifa couldn't see anything in the dark. In fact, she felt half blind. " Where the heck is Vincent going?" she asked herself, panting. She had followed him through deserted alleyways, through dirty waterways, and even through sharp metal fences which cut some of the fabric of Vincent's black polo that she was wearing. She felt even more cold in the chilly evening, where the wind is calm but the air bitter.

_Have I ever been so cold-cold enough that I could freeze? No, not ever, even when I traveled to the northern areas I didn't feel cold._ She began to feel tired now; for it was like she had been walking forever. Her legs ached, her empty stomach grumbled, and her throat felt dry. She coughed, but not too loud and thought about the place Vincent would be headed.

It was hard following Vincent; for he's always look around him as he reached every corner. His eyesight was sharp, and it was like he could sense everything that moved all around him. But Tifa still followed him either ways.

She stopped and took a breath. _Where the hell would Vincent be gong?_ She thought. She rubber her arm which made her a bit warmer, but the amount of warmth did not satisfy her. " Gosh Vincent, where in the world are you going?"

She decided to go back to the hotel, but knowing that she only followed him and didn't know her way back, she didn't. " He seemed to have gotten a quicker pace as he got farther," said Tifa, panting. " But dammit Vincent, I need a break!" But of course, Vincent didn't hear her.

Then he abruptly stopped in front of a worn-down abandoned building. He walked in circles, but still looked around. Tifa stopped in her tracks and hid behind a huge broken concrete wall to rest. Vincent still walked around, but he was slowly walking and kept on looking at the entrance of the building as if were waiting for something to come exit.

While he did that, he carefully took out his triple-barreled gun, Cerberus, and loaded it with ammo. Tifa watched him carefully doing that. How calm and cool he acted with a gun, unlike how Cloud was with his sword-with wrath and strength.

A few moments had passed, which felt like forever. Tifa crouched down and peeked from behind the wall. _He's still standing there-waiting for something to come out. But what's there to wait for? No one's going to come out, so why am I waiting here like an idiot?_

Before she could think things through, like how Vincent would react, she just went out from her hiding place and silently called out to Vincent. " Psst. Hey, Vincent. Psst."

As quick as a whistle, Vincent turned around with his gun pointed at Tifa's direction. He looked a bit shocked at that time, Tifa noticed, probably because he was waiting for so long in the quiet and then she came along kind of 'scared' him.

"Tifa!? What are you doing here?" He stared at her with an angry face, though it wasn't pure anger.

"I-"

" Didn't I tell you not to follow me? Your life could be in real danger now, you know that. And who know who's going to be responsible if you get hurt? Me." He combed his hair with his hand, and he looked at her with a hint of fury, and a tiny speck of worry. " There's a possible chance where you could've gotten hurt."

" Well, I'm sorry for being concerned. Maybe I shouldn't do that anymore." Tifa was about to leave when someone finally came out of the abandoned building. Vincent turned around and saw it was a female.

" I see you've brought someone along, Vincent." The lady said in a cunning voice. " I thought we had a deal that only the two of us would meet… Privately."

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Okay, well there you go readers! Finally the 4th chapter! Celebrate Well, I'll try to keep my "non-fic" making periods to a minimum. Sorry to keep you all waiting. I hope I update soon. And please R&R. 


	5. Weak and Frail

**Chapter 4: Weak and Frail**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!!_

I'm so proud of myself that I updated again. Like I thought I wasn't going to continue this fic, but when I read it again, it just pulled me towards it. Now, I'm writing my fics on the computer and the computer only. I'm too lazy to write them and then type them out so yeah, everything goes faster. Now, onto the chapter!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy, or any of it's characters. But if I did, I'd so totally make Tifa go with Vincent!

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Tifa looked at the woman, and back at Vincent and she repeatedly did so over and over a few times. She was shocked indeed, to see Vincent coming over to an abandoned place just to see a woman. Of all the times she could ever have felt uncomfortable, this was definitely one of them. _Coming over to an abandoned building, and trying to obtain a certain file? Then acting as if it were dangerous?_ Tifa thought with irritation._ And I followed him here just for that? Was it a waste of very precious time? Hell yeah._

Tifa started to leave, but the woman interrupted her from doing so. " Oh, honey dear, don't leave. It's not what you think." Again, she said it in that cunning voice which irritated Tifa.

" No no, I should go. I mean you did ask Vincent to meet with you _alone_, right?" Tifa looked at her once more. Oh, how Tifa hated what the woman wore-a tight, strapless rouge dress that stopped a few inches above her knees, and how at the sides were slits that showed some skin._ I bet she could instantly stab someone with those stilettos._ Tifa though, looking at the woman's red stilettos.

" Really dear, you should stay. I don't think Vinnie here would mind, would he?" She said in a way where it sounded so seductive; and looked at Vincent in a flirtatious way.

Vincent looked at Tifa. " Tifa, just stay here. Don't do anything stupid." And he walked towards the woman, entering the abandoned building with her.

_Yeah, as if I'd do anything at all. _Tifa thought. She backed away, sitting onto one of the massive concrete debris. By that time, Vincent had already entered the building, but the woman came out.

" And honey, just in case you don't run away, I have some company for you." The woman had said before she went back in.

Tifa looked behind her and saw the most ugliest, freakiest looking men she had ever seen. There were two of them; both wearing black suits. One was tall, bald, had a black mustache, and wore black sunglasses. The other was somewhat short, had shaggy brunette hair, had sideburns, and seemed to have forgotten to shave.

" Hello beauty!" The bald one said, making the whistling sound.

Tifa stood up and panicked, but then immediately calmed herself down. " Who are you jerks? One of her bodyguards or something?"

The two men drunkenly walked closer. " Hmm… You could say we're her bodyguards… Or you could say we're runaway criminals too," replied the man with the shaggy hair.

" Criminals?"

" Yeah, criminals. The name's Ryu. And my friend here's Keir. Haven't you seen those TV reports where they announced two criminals missing form the jail?" Said the bald one.

" No, I haven't. Now leave me alone and go back where you came from." Tifa said to them as she moved even farther away from them.

" Sorry hottie, we ain't doing that." Answered Keir, with that mischievous tone in his voice.

" Yeah, boss' orders." Added Ryu, who was coming even closer to Tifa.

Tifa tried to walk away backwards a bit faster, but they caught up. " Just leave me alone would you? What're you going to do to me anyways?"

" Oh, we could do many things to ya honey. Many. But that's only if you disobey the boss."

That was the answer Tifa wasn't hoping to get. They were criminals. They could do whatever they pleased, as long as they didn't get caught. And here they were, with her in the middle of nowhere; and so the possibilities were endless.

" Y'know, it'd be best of you just sat down right back where you were, honey." Said Keir in a sly voice. It freaked out Tifa, to be harasses by these two, but she did what they told her anyways, just to prevent from anything to happen.

" Okay, I'm sitting here now. So just keep a distance, and leave me alone." She said nervously. I mean, who would trust people like them?

" Sure honey, whatever." Said Ryu and him and his companion moved back a few feet.

_Vincent, save me from this hell! Whatever you are doing in there, just leave it! Please! Just get me away from this freaky guys!_ Tifa thought desperately._ It's like I could feel there breaths on my shoulder even if I know they're not right behind me-and it's so… Uncomfortable!_

Tifa shifted from her seat. She had an urge to just run away from the two guys and go into the building, but what if Vincent was negotiating with her, and really trying to get those files? She thought for a moment, and she decided she would run for it. But first she looked back to what the two were doing. They were just chatting, probably chatting about what they would do to her if Vincent never showed up. This made Tifa want to run for it even more, but she held it, trying to run for it at the perfect time.

A few moments had gone by, and still Tifa didn't run. _Vincent told me not to just stay where I am, and not do anything stupid. Should I run, or no?_ She thought miserably._ If I don't run, I they could do something so unexpected to me. If I do, who knows?_

She looked back and forth from the two men to the entrance. The entrance had no door, which gave Tifa an easier way to escape. She could just run in there and find a place to hide. But what if there were men just like Ryu and Keir in there too? It'd be way worse. But at least she'd be where Vincent is, if she could find him… Now Tifa didn't have a choice, so she just ran.

She ran as fast as she could, but she was weak with hunger and pain that it made her slow. The two men shouted, and Ryu ran quick and was right behind Tifa. While Ryu was trying to catch up to Tifa, Keir took out his gun and was getting it ready.

" Stupid rocks!" shouted Tifa forcefully. It was already hard running while weak, but what made it worse was running on ground which had lots of debris from some of the demolished buildings nearby.

Ryu laughed. " You ain't getting away from us princess!"

Tifa looked back in horror. Ryu was catching up. He was still a few feet behind her, but he had long arms-long enough that he could reach with all his might and capture her. So she ran a bit faster.

Ryu laughed even more, but he laughed like a madman going on a "raping rampage".

Tifa got more afraid. She tried to run her fastest but instead; she tripped on a cement stone block that was just right near the entrance of the building. When she tripped, her head hit the gravel and it created a huge wound; crimson blood flowing gradually flowing out.

Tifa tried to stand up as fast as she could; there was only a three meter or so distance between her and Ryu. She didn't want him to catch her, so she stood up, her wound still bleeding. Then she stood up and walked towards the entrance.

_Oh gawd. Will I live to see another day? Damn Vincent, where are you? Where are you? I need help. I need you…_ Tifa trailed off in her thoughts, but she kept on walking.

She neared the entrance, for it was right in front of her, but when she was about to go in, a bullet went through her shoulder, causing her tremendous amounts of agony. She struggled to just walk in but he kept on shooting so she ducked down. She couldn't hold herself any longer so she ended up kneeling on the gravel.

First, she didn't realize that she was right behind him, but when she turned around she did. She screamed out loud, but Ryu had bent down and covered her mouth with his hand. Covering it tightly, he said, " Y'know, you're a tough one. And I usually go for the tough ones."

While covering her mouth and moving her back to the concrete rock she sat on, Keir took out a roll of duct tape and ripped a piece off and placed it over Tifa's mouth. " Now, don't you be a naughty girl anymore okay?" He said in an unnerving manner.

Tifa just glared at him; the blood still flowing. Then Ryu crouched down in front of Tifa and faced her. " I should take off this duct tape. It hides away your pretty lips." And so he ripped it off, causing a moment of pain for Tifa, once again.

She tried to regain her energy, just to stand up, but she could not even do that. " Aww, poor little sweetie can't even stand up. Here, let me help you up." Said Ryu as he held both of Tifa's arms.

But instead of helping her stand up, he forcefully pushed her to the fence and held firmly held both her arms. Keir just stood their, reloading his gun. Ryu then harshly started kissing Tifa's neck, pushing her to the fence even more. Tifa tried to stop him, but she could not get a grip on him. So instead, as strong as she could, she kicked him in the nuts. He relented, and that's when she ran for the building again. He caught up, but was in too much pain.

_I'm so lucky I was wearing these boots._ Tifa thought, and she did not dare look back. She reached the entranced and saw Keir right behind her, shooting his gun like crazy, but the shots still aimed at the entrance.

Tifa did not stop to see what would happen to both of them, for they were having trouble getting to the building. So she quickly ran inside, where it was all dark. She knew they were going to catch up to her sooner or later, so she quickly searched for Vincent.

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Okay! There you go! Like this was supposed to be like the main fighting scene in the part of the story, but it was too long. D: Anyways, what shocked me was I did this only in one day! Hoorah! Well, need to go now. Please R & R! 


	6. Painful Night

**Chapter 5: Painful Night**

Summary: _Can two opposite people that have been burned by love find love itself again? Vincent x Tifa, and Cloud x Aerith. R&R please!!_

Wow, I updated again. Anyways, these are times where I might be really busy, so I might not update for a while. I noticed that after the prologue, the chapters started to become short. I promise that I will try my best to make the upcoming chapters "meatier". XD

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy, or any of it's characters. But if I did, I'd so totally make Tifa go with Vincent!

* * *

" So, where's the file I asked for?" asked Vincent impatiently. He placed one of his arms on the sandy wood table and repeatedly tapped his fingers.

" Oh honey, you shouldn't worry. I have the file. It's just that…"

" It's just that what? I came here for the file, and for the file only."

The woman walked behind Vincent and bent down that her face would touch the side of Vincent's face. " You see honey, I know you just came here for the file. But one thing is that… you didn't come _alone_." Then she softly placed her right hand on his cheek and added, " And remember, that's what you promised me. You said you'd come alone. But did you? I think not."

Vincent quickly removed her hand away from his face and turned around. " I said no such promise. I only said I'd come for the file."

" Oh Vinnie, you make me laugh. But I'm not going to give it to you so easily. I'm not that type of a woman." She started walking around Vincent with her clacking stilettos. " Can't we at least have a normal conversation?"

Vincent irritably glared at her. " I'm not here for your damn conversations, I'm only here for the file."

The woman's eyebrows rose. " Are you sure you're going to talk to me like that? I mean, if you do, I'd be obliged to tell my two bodyguards to _take care _of the woman who accompanied you here."

Vincent stood up. " Don't you dare tell them to do anything to her. This is none of her business, so don't drag her into it."

" Aww… I see you care for that woman… Just like your Lucrecia. Your dear, dead Lucrecia." As she said that, she did it with a smirk.

" Don't talk about Lucrecia that way! You don't even know her."

" I don't need to know her. I only found out about her because… Well… I had followed you to that mansion in Nibelheim. When you left, I read some of the documents there… Which was really boring. But I guess it did good since it has a huge effect on you."

Vincent walked up to the woman and aggressively took out his triple-barreled gun and faced it at her. " I told you to stop talking about her."

The woman just smiled. " Oh my, what will that girl who's outside think of you when she sees this?" Then she lowered the gun with her hands and pulled herself closer to Vincent.

He backed away, still holding the gun towards her.

" Still holding the gun I see? Oh Vinnie, put it down. Please do. Please." Her pleading was not the ones where it sounded like your life depended on it. In fact, she seemed calm.

He looked at her, and in his mind at that moment she reminded him of Lucrecia gently asking him to do something. So Vincent put his gun back in his trench coat pocket.

He sat back down and again tapped his fingers on the table. " I need the file. Now."

The woman just walked around for a couple of minutes, thinking. With the clacking of her shoes every time she took a step, the more Vincent grew irritated and furious.

Five minutes had gone by, and suddenly Vincent heard faint footsteps approaching the floor they were on.

" Vincent! Vincent where are you?" Vincent could recognize that barely audible shout anywhere. It was Tifa.

He stood up and hastily turned around, and ran outside the doorway. There he saw her breathless and panting, trying to keep herself up by leaning on the walls as she walked.

Vincent walked to her, for she was not far from the door. He helped her walk and when he did, he noticed the trace of blood that rushed down the side of her face. He also become aware that one of her shoulders was kind of limp, and when she walked ahead of him he found out it was from a bullet wound.

" Tifa, tell me what they did to you." He said and Tifa could sense that tiny hint of concern.

She puffed out a few breaths before she could say anything. " I tried to run away, disobeying what you said; so they chased me. Ran after me. Attacked me. It's all my fault so it shouldn't be any of your trouble."

" Why did you try to even run away? Didn't I tell you-"

" Yes, I know. You told me to stay still, etcetera, etcetera. So, did you get the thing you came here for?" She coughed into her hands and when she removed them away from her face, there were specks of blood.

Vincent had noticed it too. He stopped walking and went in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her for quite a while, and she only noticed that they stopped walking after a few minutes.

" So, did you get what you came here for?" asked Tifa, her eyes starting to water because of all that throbbing from her body. As she slowly blinked, her head hung down and she did her best to put it up, but with no energy at all, it felt as if it were going to fall off.

" No, I didn't get it yet. Look, you're out of energy," Vincent said as he put his hand on her forehead, finding out she was warm, " And you're starting to get a fever too. So just stay here in the hallway, because I still have to get the file, and _don't_ go anywhere."

" But… I can't stay here… They'll get me if they do… Can't I stay inside the room?" Tifa coughed out more blood, and she started feeling dizzy.

Vincent let out a sigh, and agreed. He helped Tifa into the room, sat her down on the chair he sat on before and looked around to find the woman. Unfortunately, she was nowhere to be seen at the moment, so he went back to Tifa.

" Are you going to be alright?" He said, again putting his hand on her forehead. " You're still warm, do you want to go back to the hotel?"

He then took his hand off her forehead and she coughed some more, and again with blood. "I'm okay. And you still need to get what you came here for."

" But if you stay here any longer, you're going to get even more sick."

" Vincent, I'm thankful for having a friend like you, but I think I can still keep strong, long enough for you to eventually get the file." Tifa coughed out more blood, and as Vincent looked at her palm and how it was being taken over by blood, he got more worried about her.

" Are you sure you're going to be okay?"

" I'm certain."

Vincent then took her hand, and with his cape, he wiped away the blood she had on it. As he did that, Tifa stared at him-him acting so gentle seemed so new to her.

_Is this the real Vincent? He seems so much different when he's like this. But why me? Why would he decide to act this way towards me out of all the others? _Tifa mentally smacked her face for having thought, just for a moment, that he had small feelings for her. _Oh gosh! Am I turning crazy or what? I'm just hurt, that's pretty much all. Nothing to it. I mean, I'd act the same way if he were hurt. It's not like he's going to have tiny feelings for me or something. That would never be. That's be too awkward, and too-_

" So, taking care of your lady now, 'eh?" The woman walked towards Vincent, and kept on walking around him and Tifa in a repetitive circle. Vincent became vigilant after he turned around and looked at her, holding a revolver.

She loaded the gun, and pointed it towards Vincent. " You know, you two are really getting on my nerves. The girl was better off outside than here. I guess she must've surpassed my two criminals."

" Put that down, Desdemona." Vincent said, trying to protect Tifa, who was getting more ill as each minute passed.

" Oh my, you actually know my name. I guess you and your colleagues at your little agency researched about me, didn't you? So you know who'd you be up against, and you'd know what we'd want, so we'd trade the damn file with you?" She still pointed the gun at Vincent.

" You're right."

" You're just agreeing so you could prevent me from shooting your lady friend. I wasn't going to shoot her, but I guess I might as well, since it looks like she's dying." Desdemona said with a smirk on her face.

What she said made Vincent look back at Tifa, and this gave a huge opportunity for Desdemona to shoot. And so she did.

All Tifa heard were three shots, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Vincent standing there, and Desdemona walking away. Tifa stood up and ran in front of Vincent-finding out that he had been shot. Vincent's blood rushed down from the three bullet holes, which two punctured his stomach and one on his neck.

" Well, I guess my work is done. My oh my Vinnie, I never thought you'd fall for a child's trick like that," said Desdemona, and she walked out of the room with a small briefcase.

Tifa positioned her hand on the wounds to stop the blood from flowing, but it just came on flowing out. She took her hands away, noticing that they were bloody than before, and wiped them on her shorts. " Vincent, just stand up. You're loosing a lot of blood, so it's best it you not sit down for more blood will come out."

" What're you going to do?" He said with a weak voice.

Never had Tifa seen him like this. _First it was the whole sharing the hotel room because I had no gil. Then it was taking care of me and being gentle. Now it's him getting weak. I have never seen him weak! Never! He was always the strongest one on our team, next to Cloud. He never showed pain… But now, it's so different._

Tifa had thought of not wasting more time shuffling through her thoughts. In her most determined voice, she said, " Vincent, I'm going to follow Desdemona. I'm going to try getting that file."

" But you're weak. And she still has those two criminals. Who knows, she may even have more. It's too dangerous, so just forget about even getting the file. We need to go back, you're hurt."

_He didn't even recognize the condition he was in! He should be worrying more about himself than me! _Tifa thought in shock.

" Vincent, you came all the way to this wreckage and you didn't get what you came here for. So just stand there, suppress the pain and I'm going to get that file."

And before he could say anything to stop her, she went off.

* * *

Going down the stairs wasn't so hard for Tifa, but opening the doors and moving items out of the way hurt her arm. She finally got to the bottom stairs, and there, out of the lobby was Desdemona.

" Hey, Desdemona! You forgot something!"

Desdemona looked around, and all she saw was Tifa's gloved fist meeting with her face. The 'fist-face' meeting was like getting hit with a baseball bat. The side of her face throbbed with pain, and this immediately made her drop the brief case.

Tifa ran towards it, but suddenly heard the clicking of a gun, so she paused.

" Babe, get away from the case." Tifa recognized it was Keir's voice.

" I ain't your babe, you jerk."

Keir rapidly walked in front of Tifa and whacked her head with the rifle he had. Tifa fell on the floor, for she was weak, hungry and her body ached.

" You bastard!" Tifa cried out with the agony rushing to her head. She touched the location where the rifle had hit, and felt that it was bleeding.

Keir brutally kicked her in the stomach, causing her to cough out more blood. Then he stepped back and said, "Dare to call me that again?"

Tifa tried to pull herself up, though what she really felt like doing was lying there. But she got up anyways, just as Keir and Desdemona were about to step out of the lobby and run away. She managed to find broke glass on the floor and picked up the largest shard. Then she ran to Keir, who was happily talking to Desdemona, and stabbed him.

Tifa pressed the glass into his shoulder. She could feel his blood dripping on her boot, and she felt proud for having stabbed him. She pressed the glass in some more, trying to let it go in so deep, that it could make him feel the pain she had felt.

And then Keir fell flat on the floor. The blood still flooded out of him, making a vast crimson puddle.

Desdemona stared in horror. She attempted to run away with the revolver still in her hand, but Tifa had tripped her, causing her to drop the weapon. Tifa reached it with bloody hands and held it gunpoint at Desdemona.

Desdemona shrieked with terror, but Tifa didn't shoot.

A few moments, Desdemona calmed down. Tifa saw her smiling at something behind her. When she looked back, she saw Ryu with a katana.

She hastily evaded his attack.

He tried to stab Tifa but she was too quick, and it seemed that the katana was way too heavy for him to wield, but he still attempted to pierce through her.

Alas, he had pushed Tifa onto a wall. The blade was at her neck, but she still held the revolver. Keir began to push the blade into her neck a bit.

" So you like to play rough 'eh? Well, then we'll play rough." He was about to slit her throat when she shot him. She shot him five times, and then there were no more bullets.

Ryu let go of the katana and kneeled on the floor. Then his whole body just collapsed on the floor, with his face on the gravel.

Tifa had never used a gun before. Using one made her inner rage take over her, and she could not control it. She looked at Keir's deceased body, and Ryu's lifeless body. Their area was covered with blood. Tifa could not believe she had done this. Of course she has killed and wounded, but those were mostly fiends.

She stared at Desdemona. " Now give me the damn file he needs, or else you might be like one of them."

Hurriedly, Desdemona threw her the brief case. Tifa caught it and walked away. Behind her, she could hear the rustling of Desdemona's steps as she scurried away.

* * *

Tifa returned back to Vincent. She felt ready vomit any time soon. But she told herself not to. She still had to pay attention to the injured Vincent.

She walked towards him and crouched down. When he lifted his head up, Tifa smiled.

" I've got the file. Now it's time to go back."

" Thanks Tifa." Vincent said in a barely audible voice.

" It was nothing. Now let's just go back to the hotel."

Tifa slowly helped him up. Then they went back to the hotel, and when they got to their room, Vincent and Tifa fell fast asleep from the long night.

* * *

So there you go, chapter five. I finally ended this first mission of Vincent's. I never knew it'd take three chapters. Anyways, please R & R! 


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